i made this mix using a combination of a base mix i found in a recipe from another site and some added things. the entire thread is at the bottom of this one if you want to check it out. like i said i have only used soil mix#1 with fertilizer recipe # 1 so i cannot say how good the other recipes work. anyways this is what i use and with great success.
(base mix)
peat moss
worm castings
perlite
dolomite lime
i found a soilless mix last year that i tried and had good texture but i didnt like the ratio of nutrients ( lc's soilless mix # 1 ) it called for :
5 parts coco-coir or sphagnum peat moss
3 parts perlite
2 parts worm castings
(1 cup of lime per cubic foot )
to make this base mix you use a 3 quart bowl or saucepan as parts and it equals 1 cubic foot each time you mix the 5 parts, 3 parts and 2 parts. you can add 1 cup of dolomite lime to each cubic foot to make it easy. their were different recipes for fertilizers but the recipe i used recipe # 1 had the wrong ratio of nutrients. i started having deficincies going into flowering using recipe #1 and this was supposed to be a just add water mix all the way to the end. so i decided to make a mix to get me 30 + days into veg which is all i veg for anyways, and then just use a complete bloom nute to finish. so this is what i came up with:
5 parts coco-coir or sphagnum peat moss
3 parts perlite
2 parts worm castings
1 cup powdered lime per cubic foot
4- 41/2 cups epsoma brand PLANT -TONE fertilizer
1- 2 tbsp of epsoma brand KELP MEAL
2 tbsp of rooters mycorrhizae
1- 2 tbsp of azomite ( optional but reccomended )
this is what i use. i mix all the peat, perlite, & castings together using a 3qt saucepan to make it an easy and even cu ft each time, add the powdered stuff. mix very well then water with mollasses water 2 tbsp per gallon using filtered, distilled or water that clorine has been dissolved. cover and let it set for a few weeks with the lid on cracking the lid and stiring now and then and your good. this mix works very well and it will get you 30 days + into veg no problem just water. using this i really dont use any N rich fertilizer at all. just get a good bloom fertilizer and maybe a tea like product like big bloom in case any deficinces or make your own tea, but that would cover you. you can supplement the worm castings with mushroom compost, regular compost , manure will even work but the worm castings would be best. the thing i like most about this mix is that it's well balanced, cheap to make, and available at most home depot or loews stores with the exception of the fungus and azomite which you can order anywhere on the internet.
you can also use this as a seedling / cutting mix:
5 parts coco-coir or sphagnum peat moss
3 parts perlite
2 parts worm castings
(1 cup of lime per cubic foot )
2 tbsp of rooters mycorrhizae
this is just the base without the ferts. this is great for seedlings and cuttings. i hope this helps you out or helps someone that reads this.
LC'S SOILLESS MIX
LC's Mix is great for any stage of growth. You can germ seeds in it, grow mothers in it, root clones in it as well as veg and flower in it.
LC’s Soiless Mix #1:
5 parts Canadian Spaghnam Peat or Coir or Pro-Moss
3 parts perlite
2 parts wormcastings or mushroom compost or home made compost
Powdered (NOT PELLETIZED) dolomite lime @ 2 tablespoons per gallon or 1 cup per cubic foot of the soiless mix.
...Wal-Mart now sells worm castings.
Or, if you use Pro Mix or Sunshine Mix...
LC's Soiless Mix #2:
6 parts Pro Mix BX or HP / Sunshine Mix (any flavor from #1 up)
2 parts perlite
2 parts earthworm castings
Powdered (NOT PELLETIZED) dolomite lime @ 2 tablespoons per gallon or 1 cup per cubic foot of the soiless mix.
If you use a 3 qt. saucepan as “parts” in the amounts given above, it equals about 1 cu. ft. of soiless mix and you can just dump in a cup of powdered dolomite lime.
But, a "part" can be anything from a tablespoon to a five gallon bucket. Just use the same item for all of the "parts".
Now for the plants organic food source
Choose one of these organic plant food recipes to add to LC's Soiless Mix.
RECIPE #1
If you want to use organic nutes like blood, bone and kelp...
Dry Ferts:
1 tablespoon blood meal per gallon or 1/2 cup per cubic foot of soil mix
2 tablespoons bone meal per gallon or 1 cup per cubic foot of soil mix
1-tablespoon kelp meal per gallon or 1/2 cup per cubic foot of soil mix or Maxicrop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract as directed
1 tablespoon per gallon or 1/2 cup per cubic foot of Jersey Greensand to supplement the K (potasium) in the Kelp Meal and seaweed extract.
Mix all the dry ferts into the soiless mix well and wet it, but don't soak it with Liquid Karma and water @ 1 tbs./gal. Stir and mix it a few times a week for a week or two so the bacteria can get oxygen and break down the bone meal and make it available. And don't let the mix dry out, keep it moist and add water as needed. It'll also have time to get the humic acids in the Liquid Karma going and the dolomite lime will be better able to adjust the pH of a peat based mixture too.
With this recipe, all you need to do is add plain water until harvest.
When I'm working with seeds, I punch a hole in the bottom of 16 ounce cups and fill them with plain LC's Mix. Lightly wet the mix in the cups and germ one seed in each cup. At the same time I mix enough LC's mix along with the blood/bone/kelp to fill all the 3 gallon flower pots I'm going to use for the grow. After about two weeks, the seedlings and the blood/bone/kelp mix are ready. I transplant the seedlings into the 3 gallon pots and just add water until harvest.
When you go to flower and pull up the males, save the mix in the pots. It is ready to be used again immediately. Just remove the root ball and transplant another seedling into it.
RECIPE #2
If you want to use guano in your soil mix...
Bongaloid's Guano Mix.
Use all these items combined with one gallon of soil mix.
1/3C hi N Guano (Mexican Bat Guano)
1/2C hi P Guano (Jamaican or Indonesian Bat Guano)
1TBS Jersey Greensand
1TBS Kelp Meal
RECIPE #3 (My favorite)
If you want to use guano tea and kelp...
Guano Tea and Kelp:
Seedlings less than 1 month old nute tea mix-
Mix 1 cup earthworm castings into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
Add 5 tbs. Black Strap Molasses.
Use it to water your seedlings with every 3rd watering.
Veg mix-
1/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano (PSG)
1/3 cup High N Bat Guano (Mexican)
1/3 cup Earth Worm Castings (EWC)
5 tsp. Maxicrop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract
(That makes the "dry mix". You can make all you want and save it to use later.)
Mix with water @ 1 cup of dry mix into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
To that 5 gallons of tea add:
5 tbs. Liquid Karma
5 tbs. Black Strap Molasses
Use it to water with every 3rd watering.
Flowering nute tea mix:
2/3 cup Peruvian Seabird Guano
2/3 cup Earth Worm Castings
2/3 cup High P Guano (Indonesian or Jamaican)
5 tsp. Maxicrop 1-0-4 powdered kelp extract
(That makes the "dry mix". You can make all you want and save it to use later.)
Mix with water @ 2 cups of dry mix into 5 gallons of water to make the tea.
To that 5 gallons of tea add:
5 tbs. Liquid Karma
5 tbs. Black Strap Molasses
Use it to water with EVERY watering.
You can use queen size knee high nylon stockings for tea bags. 3 pair for a dollar at the dollar store. Tell 'em you use them for paint strainers. Put the recommended tea in the stocking, tie a loop knot in it and hang it in your tea bucket. The tea should look like a mud puddle. Agitate the bag in the water vigorously. An aquarium pump and air stone will dissolve oxygen into the solution and keep the good bacteria (microherd) alive and thriving. Let it bubble a day or two before you use it. If you find you are making too much tea and having to throw it out, use 2 1/2 gallons of water and cut the nute amount by half.
RECIPE #4
Three Little Birds Method
40 gallons used soil
4 cups alfalfa meal
4 cups bone meal
4 cups kelp meal
4 cups powdered dolomite lime
30 pound bag of earthworm castings . . .
That’s the basic recipe . . .
However we also like to use
4 cups of Greensand
4 cups of Rock Phosphate
4 cups of diatomaceous earth
RECIPE #5
Fish and Seaweed (This is sooo easy)
For veg growth…
1 capful 5-1-1 Fish Emulsion
1 capful Neptune's Harvest 0-0-1 Seaweed or Maxicrop liquid
1 gallon H2O
For early flowering…
1 tbs. Neptune’s Harvest 2-3-1 Fish/Seaweed
1 gallon H2O
For mid to late flowering…
1 tbs. Neptune’s Harvest 2-4-1 Fish
1 gallon H2O
